Mount Tamalpais is a gorgeous gesture of land that towers 2,574 ft. above Marin County. Hiking to the peak means being in the company of clouds, then surpassing them and standing in the sun, above a misty sea that covers the Bay Area. It's gorgeous and hiking to the top is challenging, fun, and worth it. I was convinced that running up the slope would be all these things – and more. The logic was deeply flawed.